The fourth annual Greenwood Air Show is set to take off Saturday with attractions for young and old alike.
“It’s getting bigger and bigger every year and better and better every year,” said Cyndi Long, who serves as one of several co-organizers.
Gates for the event at the Greenwood-Leflore Airport will open at 10 a.m. Although admission is free to the public, there is a $10 parking fee for any vehicle.
Forecasters have predicted rain, but Frank Kimmel, another co-organizer, said the air show will go on regardless.
“We’re going to have an air show Saturday. We can always fly between the showers,” he said.
A big highlight of the show will be the free airplane and helicopter rides, beginning at 10 a.m. and concluding at noon.
Long suggests those children and adults interested in taking either type of ride get there as early as possible since they are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The band MixTape will perform from 10 a.m. until noon on the main stage.
The Salvation Army Classic Car Show will also begin at 10 a.m. Awards for that show will be presented on the main stage at noon.
At 12:15 p.m., the Coors Lite and Miller Lite stock cars will compete — for the first time ever — in a NASCAR challenge. Each of the cars will take part in a best-of-three competition.
Long said the air show will feature other attractions such as an arm wrestling competition and Will Allen, a “rock ‘n’ roll air show guy,” who performs while in flight, connected to the show’s public address system.
A skydiver will begin the show by displaying the American flag during his descent, while members of the Curvettes sing the national anthem.
The air show begins at 1 p.m.
There also will be inflatables for the kids and plenty of food vendors.
“We’re all very excited about this,” said Kimmel. “It gets more fun every year. We’ve been building community support. The aviation community has gotten excited about it.”
He said the show will feature World War II warbirds and a “super unlimited” aerobatic competition that are not possible with conventional airplanes.
Kimmel said planes will be performing throughout the afternoon.
A jet-powered Dodge Ram truck, which will be driven by Neal Darnell and is capable of going more than 350 mph, will perform at 4 p.m.
Kimmel said the show gives local pilots the chance to meet the next generation of pilots.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to connect with them,” he said.
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
